India just broke ground on a gorgeous solar-powered sports complex[1] that will harvest piezoelectric energy from the crowds that enter its gates. Designed by Studio Symbiosis[2], the Athletic Ripple Project was recently commemorated by India's National Congress President, Sonia Gandhi. The vast new complex emerges out of the natural landscape as an iconic structure that mimics the form of water droplets.

[3]

Each section, or ripple, contains a different sporting activity space[4]. The “droplets” vary in size, design and purpose, but Studio Symbiosis unified each section by designing them to symbolize individual pebbles in a pond. The complex to emulates the ebb and flow of a swelling pond, and therefore gradates into the existing landscape rather than obstructing it.

The complex is a sort of “sports city[5]” that was designed to minimize congestion — a pedestrian walkway will be constructed down the middle, and opposing roadways surround the perimeter. The walkway brings visitors closer to the action and away from the surrounding urban environment and traffic.

The sports center also boasts an impressive roster of sustainable and energy-efficient building strategies. The roofs of the various stadium cells are lined with both solar[6] and pneumatic panels, which collect and generate energy. The center’s anticipated heavy foot traffic will also be put to good use — piezoelectric generators[7] will harness the movement of the crowds and convert it into energy. The ambitious project will continue to develop and it’s currently slated for completion in 2012.